Have A Break

I re-read this poem today and forgot how much I liked it the first time round:

'How To Leave The World That Worships Should' by Ros Barber       

Let faxes butter-curl on dusty shelves.
Let junkmail build its castles in the hush
of other people’s halls. Let deadlines burst
and flash like glorious fireworks somewhere else.
As hours go softly by, let others curse
the roads where distant drivers queue like sheep.
Let e-mails fly like panicked, tiny birds.
Let phones, unanswered, ring themselves to sleep.

Above, the sky unrolls its telegram,
immense and wordless, simply understood:
you’ve made your mark like birdtracks in the sand
now make the air in your lungs your livelihood.
See how each wave arrives at last to heave
itself upon the beach and vanish. Breathe.

It is a beautiful reminder that there are much more important things in life than faxes and emails and deadlines and phonecalls.  There is much more to life than work.

Sometimes we can be so consumed by our 'To-do' lists (I often cheat and add things that I have already done, just so I feel I have achieved something), we forget who we are apart from our work.

It is good to stop and rest and breathe.  More than that, it is essential to stop and rest and breathe and have a break from the heavy demands of work.  And we can find rest in the shadow of God.

        "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

        will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

        [Psalm 91:1 NIV]

I love the words of this song, 'I Love Your Presence' -

        "In the glory of Your presence
        I find rest for my soul
        In the depths of Your love
        I find peace
        Makes me whole."

 

Today, I need a break.

 

 

Breakfast in Bed

The problem with breakfast in bed is that it usually results in crumbs in bed.  And the problem with crumbs in bed is that they are too small to spot and you only notice them when they dig in and poke and scratch when you get into bed again at night.

 

It's incredible how something so small can cause such irritation. 

 

It's the same in life: sometimes something seemingly small can cause great irritation or frustration.  The frustration is completely disproportionate to the cause.

 

Thinking about all of this reminded me of pearls and the way that they are created: pearls are formed inside an oyster or other mollusk as a defence mechanism.  When a parasite  or other irritant enters the shell, the mollusk creates what is called a 'pearl sac' to seal off the irritation.  It does this by depositing layer upon layer of calcium carbonate over the irritant, until it is completely covered. 

 

What was a potential threat becomes a harmless, smooth pearl.

 

And what is more, these pearls [especially when formed naturally, as opposed to being harvested] are both beautiful and highly valuable. 

 

When we encounter irritants or potential threats, we can worry about them and let them scratch at us and hurt us.  Or we can take them to God and ask Him to cover them with layer upon layer of His peace, until they are no longer harmful.

 

We can ask Him to cover us with His peace and to protect us from the things that threaten us.

 

The Bible says,

 

         "Say this: 'God, you’re my refuge.
         I trust in you and I’m safe!”
         That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
         shields you from deadly hazards.
         His huge outstretched arms protect you—
         under them you’re perfectly safe;
         his arms fend off all harm."

 

        [Psalm 91:2-4 MSG]

 

God is our shield; He protects us and covers us from harm and He soothes the things that hurt our souls. 

 

We are safe under His outstretched arms.

 

And what is more, something that once caused us pain and distress, something which irritated and frustrated and hurt us, can be transformed into something beautiful and precious when we let God cover it with His grace and peace and love.

 

So when we face potential threats or irritating circumstances, when things 'invade' our peaceful lives, we need not fear.  Instead, we can ask God to cover the situation with His peace, and to guard our hearts and our minds in Him:

"The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

[Philippians 4:7 NIV]

 

As for the crumbs in bed situation, perhaps I should switch to cereal.